18 November 2015
The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Eastern Cape Province has learned with a great sense of shock the passing of Comrade Wonder Ndwebisa, affectionally known as "Bra-Nomwa" yesterday morning. Cde Wonder Ndwebisa has succumbed to a long illness.
He was born on the 3 March 1949 in Duncan Village, East London where he started working at Chloride and became active in the trade union movement. He was in the forefront of the formation of the South African Allied Workers' Union (SAAWU), which he contributed immensely in strengthening. He later left to work for SARHWU, which later merged with TGWU to form SATAWU. He worked as an organiser of SATAWU for years. He later became its Provincial Secretary and Provincial Organiser again.
"Bra-Nomwa" worked for the underground structures of the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) as part of the propaganda and information unit. He also served in the education unit of the ANC underground. He is known for his commitment to teaching Marxist-Leninist theory to SACP activists, ANC Activists, organised and unorganised workers, students and members of the public.
After the unbanning of the progressive formations including the SACP in the early 1990s, Cde Ndwebisa was central in organising SACP structures. He worked very hard in establishing Party Political Schools helping in taking comrades through the fundamentals of Marxism-Leninism and always provided direction and guidance.
He served in the Buffalo City Municipality (BCM) as a PR councillor for one term and refused to serve for the second term. The hindsight incidents in BCM over the years it might be the reason(s) why he always complained about the conduct of certain comrades.
He served in the District Executive Committee of the SACP in Skenjana Roji till his time of his passing. He was heading the political and ideological training in the DEC. He refused in many occasions to be elected to the PEC of the party preferring to serve in the district. Bra-Nomwa, a very simple human being with capacity to deal with complex theoretical questions.
We dipping our red banner in mourning the life well spent, the life spent for and with the workers and the poor. We are expressing our goodbyes to a true communist who never joined the movement with the intention to self-enrichment nor that personal gains. He remained committed to the aims and objectives of our movement; he remained committed in building a united and non-racial society. He is a true communist to the end, a tried and tested revolutionary. He was a well-grounded working class intellectual, organiser and educator.
As the SACP, we commit ourselves to honour his life by being true to our origins, those of being true servants of the people. We will walk tall in his footsteps and combat any form of inhumane behaviour that is as the results of capitalism, like corruption.
We send our heartfelt condolences to the Ndwebisa Family, the entire congress movement and the people which he served diligently till the end.
May his revolutionary soul rest in eternal peace.
The details of the memorial service and the funeral service will be communicated in due course.
Issued by the SACP Eastern Cape.
Contact:
Siyabonga Mdodi
SACP Provincial Spokesperson
Mobile: +2783 358 8070
Office: +2740 635 1042/46
Fax: +2786 268 1281
Facebook: SACP Eastern Cape
